Figure 2. Foliation. Rock that has been sheared by intense pressure may develop a thin layering parallel to the direction of shearing. While the edges of the foliation planes may appear as stripes on the rock surfaces, the foliation planes extend through the body of the rock. The rock here is a mylonite, which means that the foliation is very fine-grained due to deformation. The process of creating this type of foliation in a solid rock requires a shearing type of pressure, heat, and time. Click to illustrate imaginary plane. (Photo by Henry Berry, Maine Geological Survey.)

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Last updated on April 26, 2007

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